Imagine growing vegetables that require the same amount of care as perennial flowers and shrubs, need no annual tilling or planting, yet thrive and produce abundant and nutritious crops throughout the season – Jonathan Bates (along with Eric Toensmeier) has made it happen!
Jonathan lives in Holyoke, Massachusetts where the climate is cold, often wet, and seldom enjoys three days of sunshine in a row. It is not an ideal growing climate by any standards. Yet, on a single evening stroll through his small backyard, Jonathan can collect a full meal for his household. Using permaculture and polyculture techniques, Jonathan has transformed what was once a construction dirt lot into a veritable farmers market of organically grown fruits, nuts, and vegetables.
Like any well-designed polyculture, Jonathan Bates and Eric Toensmeier have packed a lot of productivity into their one-tenth of an acre urban farm. After a few years as colleague plantsmen, Jonathan and Eric set out to create a multi-storied, forest garden on this winter-challenged, urban lot. More than 11-years, and a lot of hard work later, Jonathan invites us to tour his urban oasis to witness the successful food production and to learn how it was achieved by overcoming the challenges of a tiny urban lot, the shade of mature Norway Maples, nutrient-deficient soil, heavy compaction, clay, lead, and urban prejudice against chickens.
Jonathan has a rich background in permaculture. Throughout this tour Jonathan will describe such permaculture features as thoughtful planning (nearly a year’s worth went into this project before planting was started), careful soil management, well-researched plant selection and placement, informed resource use/reuse, and ongoing evaluation and readjustments as needed. And for a reality check, Jonathan will also share stories of the setbacks and design failures along the way.
Paradise Lot: Two Plant Geeks, One-Tenth of an Acre and the Making of an Edible Garden Oasis in the City is the book that describes the inspiration and creation of this edible oasis.
Registrations are limited – this tour will sell out quickly.
Jonathan Bates has been learning, thinking and teaching ecologically for two decades. He’s co-created dozens of thriving farms and gardens in the Connecticut River Valley. He co-founded and is a board member of the Apios Institute, a teacher at the Yestermorrow Design/Build School, and is a farmer with Nuestras Raices, Inc. Additionally he is a co-founder, and coordinator/design teacher with Permaculture FEAST. Jonathan loves sharing his passion for life with friends and family, and working with folks to better the world we live in.
$23 for ELA members, $33 for nonmembers. See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/eco-tour-edible-landscape-oasis-permaculture-in-practice/#sthash.5b31HMWS.dpuf
